How to style Summer clothes for Autumn: Cashmere Cardigan & Patterned Trousers

We're been experiencing a most welcomed, Indian Summer in London in the last 2 weeks. Temperatures during the day have been balmy with big, bright, and often cloudless, blue skies.  A wonderful ending to September, a fine beginning to October.

But Autumn is nonetheless, nipping gently at our heels making this time of year trickier to dress than when the air is more consistently warm.  You can often transition through 2 or 3 seasons in a day.  So, how can you eke out your Summer clothes, just that little bit longer, without looking sartorially out of place and without feeling climatically challenged?

This is the outfit I wore at the weekend when I went to the Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition in London.  I wasn't out to compete with the fashionistas - of which, dear reader - there were a fair few. I leave that to the diehards!  I styled an easy wearing outfit that still had some structure.  A streamlined look that was neither stuffy nor sloppy.

I suspect most people like to dress down at the weekends but as my business wear during the week is already dressed down (lycra and leggings), I usually want to do the reverse at the weekend. This style is an ideal Autumn outfit for the office though, when you want to feel pulled together, without the stiffer look of a suit.

The two big layering options this Autumn are capes or ponchos and long line cardigans.  With my petite frame, I'm gently veering more to the latter rather than the former at the moment. I can potentially look like a waif, swaddled in a blanket when wearing a cape; a look I'd rather avoid, at my age!

This cardigan was a recent find at TKMaxx and somewhat blew the budget but I just fell in love with it when I saw it.  I'm prepared to pay more when I see something special.  If it had just been a plain cardigan I wouldn't have given it more than a passing glance.

But the hood, oh the hood. I can rock my inner 'Liv-Tyler-playing-Arwen-in-The-Lord-of-the-Rings', when I wear it up.  Get Hollywood on the phone!

Then we have the trellis pattern on the shoulders at the back and at the bottom on the front of the cardigan, breaking up the expanse of blue with some delicate texture.  And finally, the fact that it's cashmere, made me feel that it was worth the £70 I paid.

I own cashmere.  I'm just too darn sophisticated now.

It's super soft to wear, light as a feather and when you take it off, you really notice the change in temperature it does such a quiet job of keeping you at just the right degree of warm.  Ideal for these Indian summer days when you need a layer first thing in the morning or when you're out of the warmth of the sun.

The trousers were from a local charity shop.  The brand is Pure and they really were!  Absolutely mint condition to the extent that the pockets hadn't even been unstitched!  Having said in my Leopard Print & Denim post last month that I don't tend to do well with clothes in charity shops, this turns that right on its head.

They were only £10, which is a steal considering how much their tailored, ankle trousers retail at full price.  I also scored a white, sleeveless top from Zara, with a beautiful filigree border hem at the same time for only £4!

The material of the trousers is such you can wear these Spring, Summer or Autumn.  When the temperature cools, I'll just switch the shoes to low sitting ankle boots.  When it drops further as we travel deeper into Autumn and Winter, I'll wear high sitting ankle boots.

The embroidery anglaise top is also from TKMaxx.  I didn't get round to showing on the blog during the Summer but it's still most wearable in Autumn.

The embroidery anglaise is a memory of the Summer and with it's capped sleeves gently falling over the shoulders, it goes perfectly under the long line cardigan.

One thing I do love about the Autumn is all the berry and rich deep colours but I'm not ready to dive into them completely just yet.  I have my Marsala coloured Seasonal Skinny for that!  As a soft contrast to the navy, I picked my mint bag which is a near perfect match to my mint statement necklace from Yosa.

This is the fourth (gulp) mini tote I've got from New Look, all nabbed in the sale and it's a such a good size for me as bigger sized totes can swamp me.  And it comes with a cross body strap if you want to be hands free.

If you're a regular reader, you'll have come across my Bittersweet Shoes post where I reviewed the Judy Bow Shoes from Topshop.  Sadly, they had to be returned.  However, I have found a replacement!  Quite different in style but I think they're just as eye-catching as the Judy Bow shoes AND more importantly comfortable.  Hurrah and double hurrah!

I'm sure you'll recognise the style - they're a take on the Ghillie that's been such a big hit this year from Spring right through to Autumn.  But most of the Ghillies I've seen have been pointy toed and you know my experience with those recently!

Also many of the styles have been too fiddly for me with too much lacing around the ankles.  I haven't got time to be fiddling about with laces around my ankles.  Memories of trying to get my ballet shoe ribbons in just the right place and at the right tension to still be able to point and pirouette, for me to revisit that.  

These have the wonderful criss cross effect of the Ghillie at the front but they are zip up at the back! A quick tie at the front and off we go.  The pleasing marriage of the practical and the playful.

I have to give a big shout out to Amy over at Straight A Style for these.  She wore them when she went to New York Fashion Week last month and when I saw them, I leapt over onto Topshop's website and bagged myself a pair.  They're a great Spring, Summer, Autumn shoe.  At this time of year wearing sandals can look like you've not only squeezed the last drop of juice out of the lemon, but bashed it over the head with a rolling pin!  

With these, toes, heels and most of the ankles are covered, meaning the early morning chill is handled, yet the open design at the front doesn't make them feel like boots.  Wore them for a good 6 hours and no blisters!

Amphora Emboidery Anglaise Top, TKMaxx
Thrifted Pure Trousers
Long line hooded, cashmere Cardigan, TKMaxx
New Look Mint Green Mini Tote currently in the sale
Topshop KIRK Ghillie Block Heel Shoes
Yosa Necklace  Similar here

Specs hanging out with Sunnies at the show!

Have you found a style that is easing the transition from Summer to Autumn?

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